STORING WINE

 Every wine is distinctive, every bottle is different and storage conditions matter. But wines do change with time, for better or worse.
For extended aging of wine (over 1 year), wine cooler is a must in most parts of the world; even a below-ground cellar is not cool enough.
The main reason wine has been stored in wine caves and underground cellars for hundreds of years is simply because caves meet the four factors that have the most direct impact on a wine's condition, light, humidity, temperature and vibrations.
Other factors like vibrations, isolation and bottle’s position may certainly affect the storing process.

LIGHT
Light, especially sunlight and fluorescent fixtures, can pose a potential problem for long-term storage. The sun’s UV rays can degrade and prematurely age wine.

Most colored glass bottles of wine have UV filters incorporated into the bottle glass, but enough UV rays can still penetrate to ruin the wine.
Darker bottles are better protected; wines packaged in clear, light green and blue colored bottles are the most vulnerable to light and may need extra precautions for storage.

Typically, white wines are the most sensitive to light degradation and run the greatest risk from light exposure. Most of the time they are packaged in darkly tinted wine bottles that offer light protection.

If you can't keep a bottle entirely out of the light, keep it lightly wrapped up in a cloth, or simply put the bottle inside a box to protect the wines from direct light. If it does get exposed to light occasionally, try to make sure it's light from incandescent or sodium vapor lamps.

HUMIDITY
Conventional wisdom says that wines should be stored at an ideal humidity level between 65-75 percent. The theory goes that dry air will dry out the corks, which will shrink and allow penetration of air into the bottle resulting in oxidation of the wine.

Excessive humidity can also pose the risk of damaging wine labels, which may obstruct identification or hurt potential resale value. A hygrometer can be useful to track the moisture conditions as well as humidifying or dehumidifying techniques as needed.

ISOLATION
Wine "breathes", thus it should not be stored with anything that has a strong smell, as the smell will permeate through the cork and taint the wine.
Good ventilation may help prevent musty odors from entering the wine.

TEMPERATURE
Heat is enemy number one for wine.
Temperature in a wine storage area should be as constant as possible as dramatic temperature fluctuations will also negatively impact a stored bottle of wine.  All changes should occur slowly. The greater the changes in temperature a wine suffers, the greater the premature aging of the wine from over breathing.
The temperature should never fluctuate more than 3°F (1.6°C) a day and 5°F (2.7°C) a year, especially with red wines, which will suffer more temperature-related problems than white wines.

Wine storage temperature should not go over 75˚F (24°C), for longer than brief spans of time as wine begins to oxidize resulting in flat aromas and “cooked” flavors. Rises in temperature force wine through the cork; drops cause air to be sucked back in.
An ideal temperature for storing a varied wine collection is 54°F (12.2°C). Letting the temperature drop below that won't hurt the wine; it'll only slow down the aging process.

VIBRATION
There are theories that vibration could damage wine in the long term by speeding up the chemical reactions in the liquid, in most cases, this may lead to negative effects in wine quality.

Vibrations of different frequencies have been shown to have their own distinct effect on the chemistry of the wine.

Refrigerator is one of the worst places to keep wine, the heat, the direct light and the risk of losing bottles out of the rack result in spoiling the wine. The constant vibration of the refrigerator or other major appliances in close proximity just agitates the wine and can keep the sediment from settling in a red wine. Constant or consistent vibration will wreck a wine.

ISOLATION
Wine "breathes", thus it should not be stored with anything that has a strong smell, as the smell will permeate through the cork and taint the wine.  Good ventilation may help prevent musty odors from entering the wine.

BOTTLE’S POSITION
By intentionally storing a wine on its side, the cork will be in constant contact with the wine and will be kept moist,
Traditionally, bottles have been stored on their sides in order to keep the cork in constant contact with the wine, which theoretically should keep the cork from drying out. If you’re planning on drinking these bottles in the near- to mid-term, or if the bottles have alternative closures (screw caps, glass or plastic corks), this is not necessary.
While most wines can benefit from lying on their side, Champagne and other sparkling wines tend to age better if they are kept upright.